Blacklisted (Loveless, Texas #3) - Jay Crownover Page 0,89

ears and could probably be heard miles away.

I threw my keys wildly across the top of my car, hitting Shot in the shoulder.

“What in the hell?” He bent to pick up the fallen keys, then looked at me with wide eyes. “What’s your problem?”

I was going to strangle him.

Clutching the top of my car door I snapped, “What’s my problem? Are you kidding me right now? You scared the hell out of me! Where did you even come from? Why didn’t you answer my call earlier? Do you know how worried I was? Where’s your motorcycle?” The questions poured out, one after another. I felt like I was about to go crazy.

“I had business with the club when you called earlier. I couldn’t answer. I saw your text that something freaked you out so I got here as soon as I could. There’s no way into the building, so I figured I’d wait for you out here to make sure you were all right. I sent you a message telling you I’d be waiting. Did you not see it?”

Aggravated and still breathing hard, I looked down at my phone and saw the notification light blinking. Sure enough, he messaged me while I was on the phone with Case and I hadn’t noticed.

“Son of a bitch,” I whispered and closed my eyes as if I could block out this entirely ridiculous scene. I was embarrassed and a little ashamed at my overreaction.

“My bike is parked next to this van. I guess you couldn’t see it, or me.” He sighed heavily and pounded his fist on the roof of my car. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You had to know I wasn’t going to leave you alone and unprotected. What have I been telling you since the beginning, Presley? I’m not going to let anything else happen to you.”

It would’ve been better if he’d sounded frustrated or annoyed. But he sounded disappointed that I doubted him, which made my heart hurt and made me feel about two feet tall.

I cleared my throat and nervously moved some of my hair away from my face. “I’m sorry. My nerves were shot. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

He frowned and slid my keys back in my direction across the roof of the car. “I don’t know what I have to do to get you to believe I will put you first no matter what.”

I sniffed a little. “I don’t think that’s true, but I appreciate you saying it. I’d appreciate it even more if you answered your phone when I’m trying to get ahold of you. The last time I didn’t pick up your call, you broke into my apartment and scared me to death. Don’t you think I’d react the same to not being able to get ahold of you when I really need to? You can’t be both the center of my universe and a black hole when it’s convenient for you. I’m sorry I overreacted, but you’ve been known to take things to an extreme as well.”

He swore and I could see the frustration clearly on his face. But once again, like I was the night he appeared out of nowhere in my bathroom, I was frustrated that he didn’t seem to be able to grasp why I was particularly sensitive at the moment, and why my emotions were all over the place.

I grabbed my keys and told him flatly, “I’m heading home. I’m tired, and I have to be back early in the morning.”

He made a sound low in his chest. “I’ll follow you.”

I tilted my head to the side and considered him silently for a long moment. I guess this was our first real fight. It didn’t feel good at all, and I suddenly had a whole new level of sympathy for the turmoil Kody was going through in her relationship. I knew being with someone, and being there for them, wasn’t exactly an easy feat, but I realized I was kind of clueless as to how hard it could actually be. No one had mattered enough to me before to have my emotions so fired up. “I won’t fight you following me home.” I was still on edge and good and freaked out after all. “But I want to be alone tonight.”

I needed a minute to catch my breath.

“Presley.” Just my name, but the way he said it sounded so sad. I never planned on hurting him. I was truthfully still stunned that someone like me even had that kind